Analysis of variability, correlation and path coefficients in induced mu tants of aromatic non-basmati rice

Abstract

Variability, correlation and path coefficients for twelve morphological characters were studied on 18 morphologically distinct mutants in M4 generation along with their two mother genotypes (IET 14142 and IET 14143), which were developed from Tulaipanja, an aromatic non-basmati rice cultivar of West Bengal. Genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were high for flag leaf angle and panicle number; moderate for grain number per panicle, straw weight, harvest index and grain yield per plant; and low for days to flower, plant height, panicle length, spikelet number, spikelet fertility (%) and test weight. High heritability accompanied by high to moderate genetic advance for flag leaf angle, panicle number, grain number, straw weight and grain yield indicated the predominance of additive gene ac tion for the expression of these characters. Grain yield was found to be positively and significantly cor related with plant height, panicle number per plant, straw weight and harvest index at both genotypic and phenotypic levels indicating the importance of these characters for yield improvement in this popu lation. The results of genotypic path analysis revealed that panicle number had the highest positive di rect effect followed by grain number, test weight, plant height, days to flower and straw weight. The overall results indicated that selection favouring higher panicle number per plant, test weight and straw weight and medium plant height with a reasonable balance for moderate grain number would help to achieve higher grain yield in this population of aromatic rice.